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Amber warning advice

The Transport Minister has chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Team (SGoRR) to ensure preparations are in place to deal with an upgraded amber warning for snow in parts of south and central Scotland.

The Met Office issued an amber warning for snow early this morning, lasting until 22:00 tonight, with northern parts of Dumfries and Galloway, much of Strathclyde, fringing into the Borders, West Lothian and Falkirk the areas most likely to be affected. A yellow warning for snow and ice remains in place for much of mainland Scotland until midnight.

The conditions mean there is a high risk of disruption on the trunk road network, particularly within the areas affected by the amber warning and over higher routes. Motorists are being advised to avoid travel if possible. Employers are being asked to consider letting staff leave work early, as drivers will likely face significant delays during the evening peak.

Winter maintenance teams are continuing to closely monitor the trunk road network around the clock, treating road surfaces and standing ready to assist motorists when required.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said:

“With the Met Office issuing another amber warning for snow, we are facing another potentially difficult period for drivers on the trunk road network. We’re being told the period between 3pm and 10pm tonight is going to be challenging, so I’m urging people to avoid travel within the amber area at that time.

“More widely, we’re advising people to avoid travel if possible. If you choose to travel, particularly in the evening peak period, you are likely to face significant delays and disruption. Consider if you can make your journey home from work earlier than usual. Scottish Government officials are contacting business groups to make them aware of this advice, and I’d also ask employers to be flexible and consider letting staff leave early.

“If you must travel, then please take extra time to plan your journey, listen to police advice and drive to the conditions. Motorists can use the Traffic Scotland mobile website - my.trafficscotland.org - to get the latest information on the move, as well as check the @trafficscotland twitter page for updates.

“Our winter maintenance teams continue to work around the clock and stand ready to react to changing conditions. I once again thank them for their hard work in recent days.

“Other modes of transport may also face some challenges during this time. If you are planning to travel by rail, ferry or air, please contact your operator to see if your service is affected.”